what do you keep your KH for your sps dominated tank?

[shingo43]

I am keeping mine at 7.5 to 8 but thinking about switch to a salt with higher KH, just curious what your KH is?

 

[Potatohead]

I think you will find most ULNS typically in the 7 - 8.5 range, LNS more like 8 - 10

 

[Scorpius]

I run around 8 to 8.5 dkh. When my house is all shut up my ph drops and my Alk goes to around 9 dkh in the winter time.

 

[biecacka]

I keep mine around 8.6 but my SPS tank is new (ish).

Corey

 

[ksicard]

I'm experiencing good results keeping mine 7.2-7.8DKH

I also vinegar dose so I'm weary of increasing KH above 8DKH.

 

[zachxlutz]

I'm experiencing good results keeping mine 7.2-7.8DKH

I also vinegar dose so I'm weary of increasing KH above 8DKH.

What's the rational behind carbon dosing and not having high alkalinity? Still learning. Thanks.

 

[drawman]

What's the rational behind carbon dosing and not having high alkalinity? Still learning. Thanks.

Higher alkalinity and lower nutrients has been associated with sps loss. If you're trying to go low nutrients with carbon dosing best to keep your alkalinity lower.

 

[power boat jim]

Mine stays between 6-7.

 

[shingo43]

What's the rational behind carbon dosing and not having high alkalinity? Still learning. Thanks.

From my understanding higher alkalinity will promote growth and ULNS promotes color, you just need to find a balance in between but not both?

 

[Ninja808]

I made the mistake by running high alk (around 11ish) while carbon dosing. Was never able to to keep any of my SPS healthy or maintain color. Now I'm running my alk at 7.9 - 8. I'm now able to keep the color. Lesson learned.

 

[kevlow]

I try to maintain 7.3. Unfortunately I drop into the 6's quite often. I hit a growth spurt then the alk drops and then the growth stops. I need a higher water volume or less corals that the tank will be less volatile.
Been getting rid of fast growing montis and chalice to stabilize the system for my acros.

 

[nmotz]

From my understanding higher alkalinity will promote growth and ULNS promotes color, you just need to find a balance in between but not both?

It's more that high alkalinity combined with ULNS normally leads to bleaching events. ULNS tanks often struggle for vibrant coloration without a lot of supplements. Conversely, if alk is low and nutrients are high, slow growth and browning will occur.

It's absolutely about balance, which is why there can't be any set standard that applies in every situation. Honestly, about the first year of keeping an SPS tank is about trying to find the best place to establish equilibrium in terms of lighting, flow, and water chemistry. Once the right balance is found, the real fun of keeping everything stable begins. :uhoh3:

 

[DiscusHeckel]

I keep mine between 6.45-7.65 dKH, but I have voted for 7 dKH as this value represents my tank water's average alkalinity.

 

[supscribe]

I have tried to raise to 9 but just can't seem to get there, something must be holding it back

 

[ThRoewer]

I'm shooting for 8 but just had a little accident: first the 2 part container ran empty and my Alk dropped to 7. Then I forgot to turn the dosing pump off after priming the lines and got it up to almost 11 after dumping about a liter each of Alk and Ca solution within a day.
I hope it's not doing any harm...